


Lines, Vines, and Trying Times

by woozdum



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M, can be uni au can be ambiguous au, coups pov, mentions of soonyoung once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 03:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11222319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woozdum/pseuds/woozdum
Summary: Seungcheol peeps his head into the kitchen and his heart nearly convulses.Because, there, against his countertop, is one Kim Mingyu sucking on his little brother’s neck. He can’t help the yelp that follows, slapping his hands over his eyes and turning his entire body away from the scene at hand.“Oh my god.”





	Lines, Vines, and Trying Times

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ofjisoos (swelter)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swelter/gifts).



> "Lines are something that someone feeds you, whether it's good or bad. Vines are the things that get in the way of the path that you're on, and trying times...[it's] what's going on in the world..." -Nick Jonas (2009)
> 
> #relatable amirite

“So, hyung, how’s your brother?” Mingyu asks casually, but Seungcheol doesn’t miss the well concealed curiosity.

 

He stops taking notes in favor of turning towards the younger, peering at him accusingly. “Don’t you dare.”

 

Mingyu sputters, “I asked you how your brother is! I was being courteous.”

 

Mingyu is certainly a lot of things, but courteous is _not_ always one of them. Especially not when it comes to cute boys with nice hair and bright smiles and teasing personalities.

 

“I know what you’re doing,” Seungcheol turns back to his books, having scrutinized the younger enough, “You think you like him.”

 

“What? No! I don’t _like_ him. Yeah, he’s cute, but it’s not like that at all.”

 

Seungcheol rolls his eyes. Mingyu constantly deludes himself into believing he’s in love with his crush of the month, before ending up heartbroken then moving onto someone else. Then, the cycle repeats.

 

“Ok, well. Make sure it stays not _like that_ ,” he warns the younger.

 

Mingyu hums, all too happy to avoid this conversation altogether. Seungcheol, however, grimaces at the thought of his younger brother dating his friend. Theoretically, sure, it could work. But it’s too weird. He doesn’t want to think about either of them dating _ever_ , especially not each other.

 

He shakes his head. It will all blow over eventually.

 

Except it doesn’t.

 

In retrospect, he never should have brought Mingyu back to his apartment. Because if he never did that, Mingyu would never have met Seungkwan and he wouldn’t have to witness this awful, _awful_ flirting.

 

He makes a face at them from the couch he’s sprawled on as Seungkwan laughs into his hand at some stupid, self assured crack Mingyu just made, cheeks pinking up ever so slightly. Not to be outdone, Mingyu’s teeth are fucking twinkling in the shitty kitchen light as he grins. Seungcheol knows that grin. Seungcheol taught him that grin. It’s the cute one that’s unassumingly flirty and entirely too effective.

 

He gets up, shooting them a petulant glare and stalking down the hall to his room.

 

It must be an hour or so that he locks himself in there, resigned to complete the comparative lit essay he’s left till the last minute, when he realizes that it’s far too quiet. He takes out his headphones and opens his door slightly, but hears nothing.

 

Instinctively, he pads across the hallway and goes to check the living room. Again, nothing. Seungcheol peeps his head into the kitchen and his heart nearly convulses.

 

Because, there, against his countertop, is one Kim Mingyu _sucking_ on his little brother’s neck. He can’t help the yelp that follows, slapping his hands over his eyes and turning his entire body away from the scene at hand.

 

“Oh my god.” He shakes his head in disbelief and turns back around, peeking through his slightly parted fingers to see the two perpetrators pull apart, lips swollen, eyes wide and guilty.

 

“Oh my god.”

* * *

_“You don’t get it, Junnie.” He whines later, clutching his phone with both hands, “They were making out in my kitchen. My kitchen! I_ eat _there.”_

 

_He hears a sigh on the other end of the line, “Cheol, they’re adults now. They can make their own decisions. They don’t need you to police their every move, you know.”_

 

_Seungcheol rolls his eyes. This was not the way this conversation was supposed to be going._

 

_“Look, I know it’s weird, but maybe you’re being too hard on them. They were just making out-”_

 

 _“-Yeah, this is_ only _the second time they’ve met. Wh-”_

 

_“-If i recall correctly, you and I did quite a lot more than just make out the second time we met.” He can hear the fondness seeping through Junhui’s words._

 

_“It’s not the same thing.”_

 

_“It’s totally the same thing, Cheol. You’re being too overbearing. You know that if you keep this up, at some point, they’ll just date secretly and the next thing you know, you’ll catch them in bed together and this will become a bigger thing than it needs to be.”_

 

 _He makes a displeased sound. That is not an image he needs in his mind_ ever.

 

_He wants to argue, but he knows better. And he knows Junhui is right._

 

_“Ok fine.” He groans, “I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”_

 

_“Mhm, love you too.”_

* * *

 

When Seungcheol first met Junhui, it was perfectly decent. They met at one of the local uni cafes, because of Soonyoung’s absolutely unhealthy yet completely understandable caffeine addiction, when Junhui had stumbled through Soonyoung’s infamous order incorrectly, and Seungcheol had stepped in to help,

 

They didn’t really talk much after, instead smiling awkwardly at each other every time they made eye contact, before quickly looking away. It was cute for about the first five seconds, before they hastily parted ways, unlikely to ever see each other again.

 

The second time, however, Seungcheol was so drunk he couldn’t even remember his own name. Still, he insisted on introducing himself to the younger, stumbling over and sticking out his hand, proclaiming that _I’m like ass. You have a great ass. We should make out._

 

Junhui had stared at him in amusement and, through his drunken haze, Seungcheol swore he saw lust. And maybe that’s why no one batted an eye when he had the younger pressed against his fridge, the contents inside rattling at the intensity of their _fondling_.

 

So, maybe, the real issue is how similarly history is repeating itself. How it must be in his family genes to pursue love in the kitchen with a complete disregard for one’s surroundings.

 

He’s back in his room, staring blankly at his essay, not really sure what to do with this information. Does he pretend it’s totally fine? No, because, frankly, it’s not. Does he play overprotective big brother? No, because he loves Mingyu and he’s fiercely protective of both of them.

 

Instead, he resolves to not acknowledge it entirely. Maybe if he doesn’t acknowledge it, it’ll go away, like reverse object permanence. He types away, headphones jammed into his ears, the music so loud it drowns out his surroundings and almost makes him forget.

 

Time passes fairly slowly and Seungcheol hasn’t really made any progress when he decides to take a break. Swiveling in his chair, he’s startled to see Seungkwan on his bed, doing homework, earphones jammed into his own ears in an all too familiar way. Seungcheol clears his throat, pointedly staring at his younger, and rather oblivious brother. When that doesn’t catch his attention, Seungcheol hurls one of his slippers, the fluffy house ones that make his toes sweat and ankles cold. It lands right on the mark, hitting the younger in the side, and Seungcheol makes a valiant attempt to look away innocently.

 

“Are you mad, hyung?” Seungkwan asks, not timidly but still afraid of the answer. “It wasn’t supposed to happen, we were just talking and flirting a little, I guess. And he’s so hot and I just really wanted to kiss him so I did and then he kissed me back and then, we were just,” he shrugs helplessly, “You know.”

 

Seungcheol nods, trying to be understanding. He stays silent, trying to think of how to phrase his thoughts cohesively when he blurts out, “I just wanted you to be friends, not for _that_.”

 

Seungkwan nods understandingly, “But hyung, at least it isn’t some random stranger. Mingyu is someone you trust.”

 

 _Clearly not_ , he thinks darkly.

 

“Just,” he sighs, rubbing his face with his hand, feeling the texture of his stubble scratch across his palm. “Just be careful. And safe. Not just like…you know-,” he gestures vaguely,  and it makes Seungkwan snort and how _awkward_ his older brother can be, “-but also with your feelings. You both feel so much all the time and I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

 

Seungkwan bites his bottom lip, getting up, “Does that mean you’re giving us the okay?”

 

“Would it matter either way?”

 

“Of course, hyung! We barely know each other, but we both love you. And if it made you feel weird, then we’d stop before feelings got in the way.” Seungkwan says decisively, “But if you’re cool with it… I really like him, hyung.”

 

Seungcheol grins, “You barely know him.”

 

“So? You barely knew Junnie hyung when you decided to grab his ass in front of, like, a hundred people.”

 

“We were at a party,” Seungcheol huffs, “and we’d met before. It’s a totally different thing. Go do your homework before I change my mind.”

 

Seungkwan gives him a quick hug, kissing the top of his head affectionately. Solemnly, he holds his hand to his heart and says, “You’re the best brother ever,” before running out having said the last word.

 

 _Brat_ , Seungcheol thinks, shaking his head and smiling.

* * *

After the initial shock, Seungcheol texts Mingyu about going to the gym, to which the latter responds so fast that Seungcheol is sure he was contemplating texting first. Mingyu walks a few steps behind Seungcheol, not uttering a single word, and there’s something oddly satisfying about how off the younger is.

 

But Seungcheol misses Mingyu’s tendency to jabber on about anything and everything, how endearing it is to listen to the rasp in his voice disappear as he continues to fill the silence. So he turns around and slings his arm around the other’s shoulder.

 

“ _Hyung! I don’t like your brother, I’m just being_ courteous _!_ ” Seungcheol attempts at a poor imitation, teasingly nudging the younger.

 

Mingyu groans, “He’s really cute, I can’t help it. I like cute boys.”

 

“Obviously he’s cute. He’s _my_ brother.” Seungcheol scoffs, letting go of the younger, whose been leaning down to accommodate for the height difference. He opens the door to the gym, letting Mingyu in first, “Also, don’t call my brother cute in front of me. I don’t want to know these things about either of you.”

 

“What - that he’s cute? Or that I think he’s cute?”

 

They’re nearing the locker rooms when Seungcheol pats Mingyu on the head, “Exactly.”

 

He walks off while Mingyu sputters.

 

“Hyung! What does that even mean?”

* * *

 

Junhui and Seungcheol like to have dates wherein they attempt to bake while streaming whatever tv show or movie they agree on for the night.

 

Seungcheol sits on the island in the middle of the kitchen, watching Junhui bustle around looking for sugar or flour or some other ingredient that they need but likely don’t have. He doesn’t really know what’s happening. It’s late, almost midnight, and the lights are too bright and the show they’re watching is in english, so he doesn’t really know what’s happening there either. Instead, he picks up the spatula that Junhui had left next to his thigh, and swats Junhui’s ass when he bends over.

 

“Ow!” Junhui straightens up and turns around, giving Seungcheol a glare that is betrayed by the shocked but amused smile on his face, “I didn’t appreciate that, you know.”

 

He steps closer to Seungcheol, pressing his body in between Seungcheol’s legs, hands going to his hips.

 

Seungcheol grins, leaning down towards him, “I did though.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Junhui leans in a little more, not enough for their noses to touch, for their lips to meet, but enough for them both to know where this is going.

 

“Yeah.” Finally, their lips are so, _so_ close and Seungcheol would love to kiss him to the baseless noise of two men arguing in the background, “It is a nice ass.” He puts his hands on Junhui’s shoulders, pulling him in, still not making the first move.

 

“You’re a nice ass,” Junhui grins before leaning in to kiss him fully.

 

In a world where his brother is single, a world Seungcheol is used to, this kiss would inevitably result in a heavy makeout session at the very least. However, this is not the world Seungcheol lives in anymore, as he is cruelly reminded of when the door slams open and Mingyu and Seungkwan stumble through. They’re probably doing something completely crude and unnecessary, like kissing, except Junhui’s slapped his hands over Seungcheol’s eyes before he can be certain.

 

“Well isn’t this something,” Junhui says loudly, and Seungcheol’s eyes are closed but he hears Mingyu yelp and Seungkwan squawk and someone fall. He whips his head around to see his brother on the floor and Mingyu staring everywhere, not sure who he’s more in trouble with.

 

Junhui smartly gets out of his way as he grips the spatula tightly.

 

“Mingyu?” He asks quietly, hopping off the island, and slowly walking over to the couple.

 

Mingyu gulps, “Yeah hyung?”

 

“Please step away from my brother before I beat you with this spatula.”

 

“Okay hyung.”

 

Seungcheol’s eye twitches when Seungkwan whines up at Mingyu, a pleading _don’t leave me_.

 

Junhui sighs and walks over to Mingyu, grabbing his hand, “C’mon, I’ll drive you home. Seungkwan, go to your room. And you,” he points to Seungcheol, “Clean the kitchen by the time I come back.”

 

Seungcheol sighs, “You don’t have to leave. Do you want to join us for movie night?” It comes out petulantly, and it makes Seungkwan scramble up off the floor, nodding his head.

 

They’re all settled on the couch, Junhui tucked under his arm and Seungkwan’s feet digging under his legs, while he huddles into Mingyu’s side. Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Junhui have ample comments throughout the movie, about the plot and the characterization and the aesthetics, and Seungcheol can’t help but think that this new world isn’t so bad after all.

* * *

 

He’s on the couch, his head in Junhui’s lap. It’s nice having the house to themselves for what seems like the first time in weeks since Seungkwan is on a date.

 

“You know, I think I’m okay with it.” He stares up at Junhui’s chin, as the latter’s eyes stay glued to the movie playing on the  laptop screen in front of them.

 

He sees the hand land on his forehead, feels it pat him twice lightly, patronizingly. “That’s nice. They’re really cute together, you know.”

 

“Not as cute as us though.”

 

Junhui’s eyes flicker down and his lips quirk upwards, teasingly, “Oh, of course not. We’re the cutest.”

 

He leans down and captures Seungcheol’s lips with his own, but the angle is weird and he straightens out quickly. Rubbing his neck, he turns back to the movie, and Seungcheol turns his body, enough to pay attention to the heist that’s happening on the screen.

 

He hears the notification ding on his phone and moves to silence the phone before Junhui can grumble about how he _can’t hear over how popular you are._ It’s a picture of Seungkwan sticking his tongue out and Mingyu grinning teasingly as they holding hands, likely mocking him. Seungcheol’s initial reaction to protest is quickly overtaken by the need to one up the happy couple. Before Junhui can react, Seungcheol snaps a picture of him from the worst angle and Junhui whines.

 

“I could give you, like, twenty better pictures than that, I guarantee it.” He plucks the phone out of Seungcheol’s hand and laughs at the exchange between the two brothers. Good naturedly, he sends the picture. Quickly, he retaliates by thrusting the phone camera into his boyfriend’s face, taking a picture of his bewildered expression and sends that too.

 

“They’re really cute together.” Junhui says offhandedly, threading his hand through Seungcheol’s hair, absentmindedly massaging his scalp.

 

Seungcheol would be stupid to disagree.

 

“We’re still cuter.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL HBD AMAL SORRY THIS IS 6 MONTHS LATE ILU <3  
> also lets consider this a gift for babyboogyunet that isn't live nor in existence but exists anyway
> 
>  
> 
> i hope you liked reading this!


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